Metal Slug 2 PS3 Review

I’m not sure what it is about most Retro games that just interest me. Maybe it’s the fact that it feels refreshing to take a step backwards for just a while to have a taste of the ‘good ‘ole days’ in order enjoy a video game redux, or perhaps it’s knowing that nearly every Retro title is just a bundle of secrets that have stood the test the time, just waiting to be uncovered. In either event, I can’t get enough, and SNK makes sure I get my due dosage of retro with their Classic re-releases exclusively on the PlayStation Network.Metal Slug 2 reminds me of everything that started my love affair with video games. That sheer sense of mayhem and firepower on-screen, the feeling that nothing in your way can be obliterated, and there is no obstacle you can’t overcome (or destroy).

Even in this time and era where destructible worlds on the scale of Battlefield 3 are on the horizon, I can’t help but give Metal Slug 2 props. The level of destruction, bullets, lasers, and swordplay onscreen at any given moment are simply impressive. Buildings will crumble at your bullets, enemies will fall before your bombs, and freed prisoners will rush to your feet thanking you with gifts of health and weaponry. The action is simply sublime. Top this off with impressively gargantuan bosses at the end of each stage and you’ll find that they have created the perfect storm of a side-scroller. I simply love it.

The last thing I’d like to touch on is a trend I’m noticing by SNK, one that I’m liking very much. Just as in King of Fighters ‘96, SNK has chosen to enable an online multiplayer component for Metal Slug 2. Now, for those of us who are a household of one this would seem to be a retro godsend, however there is a slight caveat. The matchmaking process simply isn’t as robust as I’d like it to be. On average, it took me about 15 minutes to locate and begin a match with a fellow player. Thankfully I was given the option to play the single-player campaign while I awaited a friend. Nevertheless, the feature is much appreciated and will definitely be put to good use by players looking to enjoy a few games with mates on their Friends List.

Metal Slug 2 brings back a feeling of fun and power that I’ve not enjoyed in quite a while. While modern games like Dark Souls may outclass it graphically, I can’t say I had less fun playing Metal Slug. Sometimes you just want to feel like you can have every opposition under your control in a video game world, and that’s something Metal Slug 2 accomplishes with flying colors.